The degree programs offered by the UNSW Business School are recognised by professional organisations in accordance with the details set out below:

The Master of Information Systems Management is accredited by the Australian Computer Society (ACS) at the Professional level. The ACS is responsible for the accreditation of professional ICT education programs in Australia. It is also signatory to the Seoul Accord (www.abeek.or.kr/accord/contents.jsp). The Seoul Accord is a multi-lateral mutual-recognition agreement among agencies responsible for accreditation or recognition of tertiary-level computing and IT-related qualifications in Australia, US, Canada, UK, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan which provides graduates from accredited degree programs global recognition. The number of Seoul Accord signatories is expected to grow, and the activities of the Accord signatories are intended to assist growing globalization of mutual recognition of Computing and IT-related qualifications.

Completion of an accredited ACS degree program along with appropriate industry experience is a pathway to professional certification as a Certified Professional (http://www.acs.org.au/sfia-certification/acs-certification). The ACS Certified Professional certification is accredited by the International Professional Practice Partnership (IP3).

The Certified Practising Marketer (CPM) qualification from the AMI is the peak professional benchmark for marketers and shows that you are a professional marketer recognised for your extensive marketing experience and formal qualifications. It also means that you have made a commitment to ongoing professional development to maintain your competitive advantage.
The CPM qualification is beneficial as it defines excellence in the marketing profession, advances your knowledge with continued professional development and networking, and promotes the profession of marketing by recognising only qualified marketing practitioners. The Master of Marketing fulfils the educational requirements for the CPM qualification.

The Master of Finance, Master of Financial Analysis, Master of Commerce programs (depending on the specialisation chosen) have been approved by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) authorised assessors as meeting ASIC’s training requirements in relation to RG146 Tier 1 qualification in the following specialist knowledge areas:

For ASIC compliance against the stated specialist knowledge areas, students must complete the following courses:

Accreditation of FINS courses with ASIC (RG146) and the Financial Planning Association will further assist graduates to find employment and begin the path to achieving Certified Financial Planner (CFP) status.

Further information on becoming a CFP professional can be found on FPA website www.fpa.asn.au

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) recognises the Management Accounting specialisation (ACCTYS) in the Master of Commerce (8404). Students who complete the specialisation may be exempted from the Operational and Management levels of CIMA’s syllabus covering 6 examination papers (Enterprise Operations E1, Performance Operations P1, Financial Operations F1, Enterprise Management E2, Performance Management P2, and Financial Management F2).

Students who choose to study the Management Accounting specialisation in the Master of Commerce (Extension) program (8417) may extend their knowledge of Management Accounting by completing four additional courses in the Entity Planning and Performance sub-specialisation (ACCTZS). This will provide exemption from the Strategic level of CIMA’s syllabus covering 3 examination papers (E3 Enterprise Strategy, P3 Performance Strategy and F3 Financial Strategy). Then students may proceed to the final level of the CIMA syllabus (the Professional Competence level). This final level is administered by CIMA and requires work based practical experience and the successful completion of a case study examination that is based on pre-seen and unseen material. For further information see http://www.cimaglobal.com/Our-locations/Australia/.

CPA Australia has accepted specific postgraduate courses for the purpose of its membership qualifications. Students may confirm academic entry requirements for the CPA Program with CPA Australia at https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/ManageApplications/AccreditedCourse.mvc/SearchAccreditedCourses.

Graduates who complete the Master of Professional Accounting or the Master of Professional Accounting (Extension) may be eligible for associate membership of CPA Australia. Although the programs cover all the required knowledge areas, CPA Australia assesses every applicant for membership requirements, which include a rule that each applicant must hold a degree which is considered comparable by the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR) to an Australian Bachelor's degree. If requested, CPA Australia will provide an assessment of an overseas qualification.

Students seeking professional recognition may confirm membership requirements with CPA Australia.

Various postgraduate courses at UNSW are accredited by the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

Graduates who complete the Master of Professional Accounting or the Master of Professional Accounting (Extension) are eligible to enter the Chartered Accountants Program. For further information see www.charteredaccountants.com.au/Candidates/The-Chartered-Accountants-Program/Entry-requirements/Accredited-courses.

The Accounting programs of UNSW are accredited by the IPA. Graduates who complete the Master of Professional Accounting or Master of Professional Accounting (Extension) will meet the body’s core knowledge requirements. For further information see www.publicaccountants.org.au/.

FINSIA members have access to a number of career support services and publications specifically related to professionals in the financial services industry. Finance graduates may apply for recognition of prior learning under the Financial Services Associate (FSA) Program to reduce course work requirements. The FSA program fast-track its membership to the Associate level. Business graduates with three years of relevant work experience may apply directly for associate membership with FINSIA.

Students are encouraged to seek further information from the FINSIA website www.finsia.com

The UNSW Master of Actuarial Studies is fully accredited by the Institute of Actuaries of Australia, recognised for exemptions by the Institute of Actuaries (London) for the Core Technical subjects and relevant courses are approved for VEE by the Society of Actuaries (SoA). To qualify as an actuary in Australia requires the completion of, or exemption from, subjects in the professional syllabus of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia.

Qualification as an Associate of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia (AIAA) is attained on completion of the courses in Parts I and II along with a 3 year Practical Experience Requirement (PER) and completion of The Professionalism Course. Qualification as a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia (FIAA) requires the completion of subjects in Parts I, II and III of the professional actuarial examinations and the Professionalism Course.


Part I is covered by the relevant subjects in the Master of Actuarial Studies.

For Part II there are two parts: Part IIA: the Actuarial Control Cycle, and Part IIB: Investment and Asset Modelling. Part II can be studied in the Master of Actuarial Studies for students meeting the entry requirements. Part II is made up of a there courses over a full year of study and covers actuarial principles and actuarial practice along with an Asset Modelling course.

Part III consists of modules completed by distance education through The Institute of Actuaries of Australia usually on a part-time basis after completing the Part I and Part II subjects. UNSW has professional recognition of its relevant Risk Management courses for ST9/CERA qualification which also counts as a module for the Part III

Entry Requirements

Part I
Students can complete the Part I courses as part of their university program. Success at gaining the exemptions requires above average grades (65% and above). Those aiming to enter the actuarial profession should normally expect to gain most of the exemptions and should be aiming to obtain at least an average 70% mark in their University studies.

Part II
The requirements are:
• completed all Part I courses with exemptions or
• have a minimum average mark in the ACTL courses of 65% and only 1 or 2 Part I courses to complete.

Other Professional Recognition

The Faculty of Actuaries and the Institute of Actuaries in the UK offer exemptions from the equivalent subjects in their syllabus if students have obtained exemption through the Institute of Actuaries of Australia. This covers only Part I subjects. However, Fellows of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia can obtain Fellowship of the Institute of Actuaries (London) if they wish to practice in the UK or Europe.

Students who have completed an actuarial studies major and obtained exemptions from the Part I subjects of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia can apply for waivers of some of the examinations of the Society of Actuaries (North America), under VEE credit. Fellows of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia can apply for admission as an Associate of the Society of Actuaries if they wish to practise in North America.

Fellowship of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia (FIAA) is recognised by local actuarial societies in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand and Japan. The actuarial societies in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia do not conduct their own examinations. For more information, please go to Institute's website at www.actuaries.asn.au

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